Crowdfunding Raises More Than $70k To Replace Australia Day Ad Featuring Girls In Hijabs

The company took down the billboard after receiving multiple threats.

TwitterThe electronic billboard was taken down after the company received multiple threats.

More than 2,000 people have donated funds to a GoFundMe campaign aiming to reinstate a billboard featuring two girls wearing hijabs for Australia Day.

The electronic billboard in Melbourne was taken down by the company after receiving multiple threats and fearing for their employees' safety.

The billboard was part of the Victorian Government's campaign promoting Australia Day events across the state, but on Tuesday, Victoria's Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott announced that the board would be taken down.

"There were a series of complaints -- some of which were of an abusive and threatening nature -- that were made to the organisation QMS that put the billboard up," he said.

On Wednesday, Creative Director of Campaign Edge Dee Madigan started the crowdfunding page to reinstate the billboard, which had raised more than $70,000 in one day.

Speaking to The Project on Wednesday night, Madigan said the girls -- who were photographed in Melbourne's Docklands -- were "incredibly upset" about the threats but the response to the crowdfunding campaign has been "heartwarming".

"It is so amazing and heart warming to see how many people have come behind it and not just big companies but small individuals putting $15 and $10 in," Madigan said.

By 8pm on Wednesday night, the crowdfunding campaign's webpage said "we are overwhelmed with the support and have increased our target so that there can be multiple billboards across the country in time for Australia Day."